Latest news with #JoieVitosky
The Independent
08-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Private jet crashes into water after skidding off Oregon airport runway
Five passengers were hospitalised when a private jet crash landed into a bay after overshooting a runway in Oregon on Monday. The corporate aircraft skidded off a runway at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport yesterday morning (7 April). According to FlightAware tracking data, the plane was inbound from St. George Regional Airport (SGU) in Utah. Southwest Oregon Regional Airport said that the 2019 Honda HA-420 aircraft splashed into Coos Bay after it overshot the east end of the airport's runway 23. The small plane 'came to rest in about five feet of water, approximately 100 feet of the runway', it added. Emergency response units were dispatched to the scene around 6.12am All four passengers and the pilot were rescued from the water and transported by ambulance to Bay Area Hospital for minor injuries. A hospital spokeswoman said that all five patients had arrived 'alert and oriented'. As of Monday evening, three had been discharged while one remained in Coos Bay, and another was sent to a facility with 'services not available at Bay Area Hospital'. The Honda aircraft was removed from the water following authorisation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at 10am. An NTSB investigation will evaluate the aircraft following the incident. Southwest Oregon Regional Airport thanked 'all first responders, agencies, and personnel involved in the coordinated response and ongoing investigation'. According to the airport, general aviation traffic was not impacted by the incident, and one runway remained open during the incident. It's not the first time a private jet has crashed this year. On 10 February, an aircraft veered off a runway in Arizona and hit a business jet, killing one person. The fatal crash killed 78-year-old Joie Vitosky, one of the two pilots on board, according to the Scottsdale Police Department.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
From DC to Arizona: Why are so many planes crashing in 2025?
Aviation disasters seem to be happening more frequently in recent weeks. It started with a deadly midair collision of an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter on Jan. 29 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crash, in which 67 people died, brought greater scrutiny of nationwide air traffic control staffing, crowded airspace at the D.C. airport and past midair near misses, including in Phoenix. Barely two weeks later, there was a fatal Feb. 10 crash at Scottsdale Airport. A Learjet owned by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil crashed into a Gulfstream jet. The pilot of the Learjet was killed. The recent wave of accidents has frightened air travelers, leaving many wondering whether it is safe to fly. Despite the accidents, aviation safety experts say flying is the safest mode of travel, especially on U.S. commercial airlines. Here's a look at the plane crashes involving U.S. flights in 2025 so far. A regional CRJ-900 jet crashed while landing and flipped upside down at Toronto Pearson International Airport about 2:45 p.m. Eastern time. The Delta Air Lines flight operated by regional subsidiary Endeavor Air was flying from Minneapolis. All 80 passengers were evacuated and survived, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating. Early reports suggest windy and snowy conditions may have played a role in the crash. A Learjet 35A crashed into a parked Gulfstream 200 jet about 2:45 p.m. Arizona time after landing at Scottsdale Airport. An initial statement from the FAA said the Learjet "veered off the runway after landing." Four people were aboard the Learjet and one was aboard the Gulfstream at the time of the crash, according to the FAA. The pilot of the Learjet, 78-year-old Joie Vitosky, died. The Learjet is owned by Vince Neil, lead singer of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. A statement from a representative of Neil said he was not aboard the plane at the time of the crash. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Early reports suggest the Learjet's landing gear failed during landing; the reason for the failure will likely be part of the investigation. A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft carrying 10 people disappeared while flying from Unalakleet to Nome in Alaska, and the FAA issued a search and rescue alert notice about 3:20 p.m. for the flight operated by Bering Air. Authorities in Alaska recovered the wreckage of the plane and the bodies of all 10 people onboard. Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard said radar data showed the plane experienced a rapid loss of altitude and speed. The investigation is ongoing. A Learjet 55 air ambulance carrying six Mexican nationals crashed in Philadelphia about 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The plane was on its way to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, according to the FAA. Six people on the plane and one person on the ground were killed, according to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. About 20 people were injured and the impact of the crash damaged nearby homes. The cause of the crash is unknown. The NTSB's investigation remains ongoing. A CRJ-700 regional jet from PSA Airlines operating an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter about 9 p.m. Eastern time while approaching the runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people aboard both aircraft died. In a Feb. 14 briefing, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said two key factors might explain why the collision happened: Data showed key radio transmissions not reaching the crew of the helicopter. The helicopter flew at an altitude of 278 feet, above the maximum altitude for its flight path. Homendy said the NTSB was not yet sure whether faulty data was responsible for the helicopter crew flying at a higher altitude. The investigation by the FAA and NTSB is ongoing. What to know: It's been a week since the deadly Scottsdale plane crash Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why are so many planes crashing? What flyers need to know
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scottsdale plane crash: Daughter of pilot says he saved passengers' lives
The Brief Pilot, Joie Vitosky, 78, was killed when the plane he was flying crashed into a parked plane at Scottsdale Airport on Feb. 10. Three others on the plane were hurt, and another person in the parked plane was also injured. Vitosky's daughter spoke to FOX 10 saying her father did all he could to protect those on board. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - We're learning more about the pilot who was killed in the Scottsdale plane crash on Monday, Feb. 10. What we know He was a private pilot flying for rockstar Vince Neil. However, Neil wasn't on the plane during this flight. The plane, a Learjet, coming from Austin, Texas had trouble during the landing and slammed into a parked jet, a Gulfstream, on the runway. Investigators say the plane experienced a left main gear failure upon landing. The NTSB is investigating, and asks for any witnesses to come forward. What they're saying The pilot, 78-year-old Joie Vitosky, was killed in the crash. Three others on the plane were hurt, and a person on the Gulfstream was also hurt. The pilot's daughter, who lives 1,500 miles away, has a pretty good idea of what happened. She says her father did everything he could to save as many lives as possible. "When it came on the news that it was Vince Neil, we were like, 'Oh yeah, my dad has been flying for him for years,'" Jana Schertzer, the pilot's daughter, said. She spoke to FOX 10 on Feb. 12 from Gulfport, Mississippi. She says her father flew choppers in the U.S. Marines, then became a private airplane pilot for about 60 years, flying high-profile people and medical patients all across the country. "At 78, he was still mentally and physically fit," Schertzer said. "You still have to go through all these physicals and other things. They won't let you fly if you can't pass them. Well, he passed with flying colors." "I have no doubt in my mind, but the reason these other people are alive is because of his skill and his decision-making it a split second," Schertzer said. This story is about more than the crash, and the rockstar who owns the plane. It's about a daughter losing her father. "He's well capable of doing anything and everything he could to save as many people as he could. I know that was his first thought, and he was going to carry it out into the end and that's what he did," she said. She says authorities are doing an autopsy, and that her father will eventually be buried in his hometown outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma. What's next The NTSB says anyone with images or video of the crash can email them at witness@ The final NTSB report could take up to two years.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Scottsdale Airport crash: Witness recalls moment plane crashed
The Brief We're hearing from an aviation expert who witnessed the deadly Scottsdale plane crash on Feb. 10. He says the plane crash could have been much worse if a fire broke out. Five people were involved in the crash – pilot 78-year-old Joie Vitosky died, three others were hospitalized, and a fifth victim didn't want medical treatment. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Federal investigators have now taken over the crash site at Scottsdale Airport where a pilot died Monday afternoon. Investigators were at the crash site on Tuesday examining the evidence. Authorities released the identity of the pilot who died in the Feb. 10 crash as 78-year-old Joie Vitosky. What they're saying In the moments after impact, Gordon Johnson's camera rolled as the fire department arrived. They doused the engine, shutting it down while the smell of fuel filled the air. "There was no fire. That could have been massively catastrophic," Gordon Johnson of Executive Aircraft Services said on Feb. 11. The collision was captured on surveillance cameras at Scottsdale Airport on Monday afternoon. The plane, a Learjet, registered to Mötley Crüe band member Vince Neil, had a problem with its landing gear, veered off the runway, and hit a parked jet, a Gulfstream. Neil was not on board. "I saw the gear getting sheared off and tumble behind the airplane," Johnson said. Dig deeper Johnson once flew that same plane in 2005 while brokering a sale. He remarked on the landing gear on jets like this one. "Systems energize through electrical, initially, micro switches, which open shuttle valves, hydraulic valves, which forces hydraulic fluid into the gear system and forces it to be down," Johnson said. Two passengers were badly injured, and another was also treated at the hospital. A fifth person who was inside the Gulfstream didn't want treatment. "It could have been worse," Johnson said. "It's still really bad." What's next JetPros, the owner of the Gulfstream, released a statement, saying, "On behalf of Jet Pros, we are saddened to hear about the lives lost and injured on Monday, February 10 at Scottsdale Airport. Our condolences go out to the family members of those affected by this terrible accident. Our plane, a Gulfstream G-200 business jet, was parked on the ramp when it was hit by the Learjet 35 at around 2:45 PM local time, sustaining external damage to the aircraft. A member of our flight crew who was on board the Gulfstream at the time suffered injuries upon impact, which was discovered following a thorough medical examination Monday evening. He was treated and released, however we continue to monitor his recovery. We are cooperating fully with airport authorities and relevant agencies as they conduct a thorough review of the situation. We appreciate the swift response of airport personnel and will provide updates as more information becomes available. For any inquiries, please contact Gus Toulatos, Director of Operations." FOX 10 reached out to the NTSB for any updates on the investigation. They have not held a press conference and local authorities weren't willing to address many questions on Monday night. Usually the federal investigators take a few weeks to put out a preliminary report.
